


Hate, Power, Revenge

by TopazWolf (ShadowBobcat10)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bullying, Crime Fighting, Future, Gen, Original Fiction, Revenge, Science Fiction, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-23 17:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7473177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowBobcat10/pseuds/TopazWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kristen has been tormented by Spencer, a school bully with a scarier side, for years. But when Kristen prepares to rid the world of that monster, things go full circle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hate

**Author's Note:**

> A little story about triumphing hate starts with hate. Of course. Can't fight what's not there. Enjoy.

Kristen walked into room B13, sophomore history. Boring. She couldn't understand what was so important about all these dead guys and all the stupid things people killed each other over so long ago. With energy abundant for all, there was nothing to worry about, no wars, and no terrorism. Well, except on history class. Boring.

The bell rang and a black haired sophomore walked in. "Hey sugar doll," Spencer taunted, sitting down in the desk next to Kristen's desk. That desk belonged to her best friend, who was in Hawaii for the week.

"Spencer, shut up and get out of Marshall's desk," Kristen yelled.

"Quiet down, you two," Mr. Coin said. He seemed to have no patience for sophomore antics.

"Spencer, I'm going to beat your nose in," Kristen warned. "If you steal one more. . ."

"Did you want this?" Spencer taunted, holding up Kristen's mother's watch. He got up, sauntering back to his assigned seat. Kristen menacingly followed.

"Kristen, sit down," Mr. Coin insisted. "The bell has rung and class has started."

_If you bother to start class at all,_ Kristen thought. She quickly snatched the watch and went back to her seat, sulking. Mr. Coin hated her. She was sure of it.

Kristen went home with Spencer on her tail as usual. "How are you, Sweetie?" Spencer teased, poking her with a pencil.

"Don't touch me, butt hole," she said, pushing him. "Go screw with someone else."

"But you're Kristy and all that crap," Spencer said. "You always need a good beating."

"I'm going to call the police," Kristen said, reaching for the phone in her pocket. Spencer stopped in his tracks.

"See if I care," he said, but he walked the other way for the first time since Kristen walked to school with a gun. Since then, her mother had confiscated it, but those had been the best weeks of her life. She wondered how long this would last.

Her idle threat only lasted the next day. By the end of the week, Spencer's tricks were back to full speed.

"Are you ever high?" Spencer asked in English class. Kristen asked the teacher if she could sit somewhere else.

At home, the ass had the nerve to call her. On a freaking phone. Only family ever did that anymore, and obnoxious telemarketers. Spencer was neither.

"What do you want, nutcase!" Kristen spat into the microphone.

"Your head on a stick," Spencer responded in a sickly sweet voice. "Your brown eyes in a jar, your black hair freeze dried, your…"

"You're sick!" Kristen screamed, punching the off button. Footsteps sounded outside her room, and Kristen's mom appeared in the doorway.

"What's going on, Kristy?" her mom asked.

"Nothing," Kristen muttered, plopping down on her bed.

"We'll, if there's anything you need help with, I'm always here," Kristen's mom said. She took one last look at Kristen sprawled miserably on her bed and walked away.

The only thing she needed help with was getting rid of Spencer, and there was no way her mom would agree to helping her with that. This was something Kristen had to do alone.

Kristen walked to first period sophomore history with a mission. She felt the handle of her pistol in her pocket, ready as ever. As she scanned the faces of every person in class, there was one missing.

"Did you hear about Spencer?" Marshall asked, grinning ear to ear. "Mr. Coin said he moved to Maryland."

"Maryland?" Kristen repeated. "That's… Really far." She stared at her friend, wondering if she heard her right.

"No more Spencer. Ever," Marshall said, beaming. "Aren't you excited?"

Six years of misery, now just over. Kristen knew she should have been elated, but she felt there was still something not done. She never got her revenge. The hate had built up for six years, and now, nothing. "It's awesome," Kristen managed, smiling.

"I knew you'd love it. Let's sit down before Coin starts yelling." Marshall bought Kristen's smile without a second thought.

"Okay," Kristen said, following her friend to their table group. History was boring, but at last, Spencer was gone. But the hate wasn't, and Kristen knew she would never be satisfied until he paid for what he had done.


	2. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, our brave and annoyed protagonist can become powerful - to prepare for her revenge.

Kristen smacked Matthew's avatar in the face. His health bar dropped ten points, bringing him to red level. He feebly kicked Kristen's avatar in the shins, but his strength score had fallen considerably from peek, and Kristen only lost three points. Kristen landed a punch on Matthew's avatar's side, sending his reaction score close to zero. She spun and kicked his legs from under him, and his health bar dropped to zero.

"KrayKray has won!" the computer referee announced. Kristen ripped the neurohelm off her head and blinked her eyes, readjusting to environmental stimuli. Matthew took his off with a considerably more dejected expression on his face than Kristen did.

"Hey Matt, nice moves," Kristen said.

"Yeah right," Matthew said. "You won from the first punch." Matthew ribbed his cheek, as if Kristen had actually punched him there.

"We'll, I have a lot of practice," she said humbly. "What about lunch?"

"Well, actually, I wanted to show you a place I found," Matthew said. "I think you'd like it."

"What is it?"

"Come on, you'll see," Matthew insisted. They left the games center and got into Matthew's car.

The building was brick-red glass with words "Games of the Future" on the side of the building. Matthew parked the car in the visitors parking and they walked inside the brick-red glass building.

Inside, there were rows upon rows of game cubicles. Conversations floated in the open space, people playing all sorts of neurohelm games. Kristen immediately drifted to a matchmaking machine in the corner.

"Is this like a super boss gaming center?" Kristen asked. She attempted to log into the hub with her gaming ID, but it didn't accept her login info. "Why can't I get in?"

"Only recruited members can play here," a balding gray-haired man said, stepping forward. "Hi, my name is Frank, and here at 'Games of the Future,' we recruit only the best for gaming competitions. How may I help either of you?"

"My friend Kristen here, she's obsessed with realistic boxing games. She's a real champ," Matthew said.

"That's only because I want to be ready," Kristen automatically replied. Suddenly, she realized she meant she wanted to be ready to get back at Spencer. It had been two years since she'd graduated high school, and yet he had been her motivation for taking up realistic boxing neurohelm games in the first place. And she was good at it.

"Well, let's test you out and see where you stand. We can make you ready for any just about any competition you might want to enter," Frank said. "Follow me."

The man led them to a small cubicle. He instructed Matthew to stay outside while Kristen played against the recruitment computer. Kristen put on the neurohelm and initiated the game.

The opponent's avatar was a cyclops, surprisingly, since Kristen normally only played games known for their realism, and she never fought against mythical creatures before. The compute gave her a minute to calibrate her brain waves to the game controls, and then Kristen and the cyclops were ready.

The cyclops donned his club, which wasn't right. Frank told Kristen she would be playing a boxing game, not a fantasy fight with real weapons. The cyclops swung its club and Kristen ducked, grabbing its legs. She pulled with all her strength, pulling the cyclops off balance. She grabbed the club and wrenched it free of the cyclops's grasp, knocking it to its feet. She bashed its head hard, watching as the cyclops's health plummeted. With one last hard smack, the game ended and the cyclops died.

"KrayKray is victorious," an obnoxious drunk commentator announced. Kristen ripped off the neurohelm.

"What was that?" Kristen demanded. "That wasn't a realistic boxing game at all!" Suddenly, she realized Frank's jaw had dropped to the floor.

"You beat Mr. Snuffles," he gasped.

"That huge cyclops's name was Mr. Snuffles?" Kristen asked. Frank barely nodded. "That's silly. So why did you have me fight him?"

"While you were in there, Frank explained that no one ever wins the recruitment fight," Matthew said. "You beat it in a minute and a half."

"Do you know martial arts?" Frank asked.

"No, but I really love realistic fighting games," Kristen said.

"I might have a job for you." Frank handed her a shiny midnight blue flyer. "I would absolutely love to pit you against the best fighters in the professional league, but the first responder task force is looking for recruits. Would you be interested?"

Kristen read through the flyer. "Yeah, why not?" She looked at Matthew's shocked face. "Matt, you're right. This is really cool."

"I know," Matthew managed, his eyes the size of oranges. "First responder task force? That good?"

"Yes! The meeting's next week. Can you drive me there? Matt?" Kristen asked, shaking the frozen Matthew.

"Of course," Matthew said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Kristen smiled, feeling the power, untapped, ready. "Let's do this!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. Get ready for Kristen's revenge, because it is not going to be pretty.


	3. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the time for revenge has come.

Years of hard work, all about to pay off.  The upperclassmen told Kristen that the initiation ceremony was as rigorous as the last five years, but she was ready.  One thing lingered in the back of her mind, but she didn't let him get in her way.  Spencer might have been the reason she joined, but he was not going to be her only goal.  She had the future of innocent lives to defend.

"Kray, have you started your tests yet?"  Alex, the only other recruit from her year that matched her skill, asked.  "I passed the maps test, barely.  Why does that even matter when we have maps built into our visors?"

"Imagine a mission without a visor," Kristen joked.  "Anyway, I took the endurance test, but I haven't gotten the results yet.  I'll probably take the combat test today."

Alex snorted.  "That'll be easy for you."

"What about you?"  Kristen asked.  "What's next?" 

"I don't know.  Maybe the endurance test," Alex said.  "What's your 'test' mission?"

"Some drug dealer.  His name is 'Star Lord.'  Pretty lame," Kristen laughed.

"Lucky.  I got some pedophile.  Why do people have these problems when they can have anything they want?" 

Spencer's ugly face flashed before Kristen's eyes and she wondered what was wrong with people like him.  "Don't know.  Glad we get to put an end to their misery."

"Yeah.  See you at break," Alex said, heading to the track.

"See you!"  Kristen said.  She ran to the cafeteria, grabbing a quick snack, and jogged to her next test.  Combat.  Super easy.  She broke every combat record ever held by any woman, and a few for the whole human race.

"Kristen Grant, right?"  Dr.  Peck asked.  "You're the legendary girl?" 

Kristen blushed.  "Yes.  I'm ready for whatever you throw at me."  She stepped into the combat arena.

A man dressed in all gray greeted her with a hard slap on the hand.  "Are you ready, Grant?"  Kristen recognized the voice.

"Yes, Stevenson."  Her instructor nodded and stepped five paces back.  Kristen analyzed the situation and as soon as the whistle was blown, she attacked.

A serene mode washed over Kristen as she watched each if Mr. Stevenson's attacks and countered them.  Sound and pain meant nothing, and a stark momentum drove her forward until Stevenson was panting on the floor in a chokehold.  The normal progression of time returned, but the exhilaration was still there.  That was what made fighting fun.

"Let's say you passed," Mr. Stevenson said, "with flying colors.  You should probably do your test mission today." 

"But I haven't completed all my tests yet!"  Kristen pointed out.  "I still have maps, weapons, and–"

"We all know you can do all these things perfectly well," Mr. Stevenson said.  "But Spencer Stenmark has kidnapped a teenager, and you're the perfect candidate to catch him.  Dead or alive." 

 _Spencer Stenmark?_   Kristen thought.  _Like_ the _Spencer Stenmark?_   Her breathing quickened.  No matter how hard she tried, that sneaky bastard always caught up with her.  At least this time, she had a very good excuse to destroy him.

"What about the drug dealer?"  Kristen asked.  "Isn't it important to track him down?" 

"Don't worry about him.  We can always assign someone else on that case," Mr. Stevenson said.  "we need to solve this case asap.  Everyone good is working on the forest fire, so only trainees are open.  You're the best trainee."

"Okay," Kristen said.  "What's the info?"

Mr. Stevens handed Kristen a folder.  "This is everything we know about him.  The target is not trained, but if he engages you, get rid of him."

Kristen leafed through the pages, finding this was the same Spencer who tormented her in school. "When should I leave?" she asked. 

"Whenever you're ready, but make that as soon as possible," Mr. Stevenson stressed.  "The intel is time sensitive."

"Okay.  I'm ready," Kristen said.  She was more than ready.  She was completely prepared.  She'd been waiting for this chance for the last eight years.

Her intelligence told her Spencer was staying at the Sweet Suite, a shady place notorious for trouble.  He had told his friend he was, "taking this uncooperative but cute young girl," there and the government picked it up.  They always did.

Kristen drove into the place at midnight.  There was not a soul out of place in the motel's parking lot, and Kristen fingered her gun.  She remembered doing a similar thing the day Spencer moved.  The connection calmed her, and knowing she had been planning this forever steadied her doubts.  Kristen knew she was ready.

Quietly, Kristen walked the dangerous meters from her car to room 213.  She knocked forcefully.  A scream escaped from inside, followed by a loud bang, then footsteps.  The door opened as much as he chain lock allowed it.

"Who's– Kristy, even cuter than before!"  Spencer shouted.  "You're here to join the party, right?  Who found you?  Scott?  Jason?" 

"What are you up to, Stenmark?"  Kristen hissed.

"So are we on a last name basis, now, Garrett?"  Spencer smiled in his sick way.

"It's Grant."  Kristen pushed the door hard and the chain snapped.  _Cheap security is no security,_ Kristen thought.  "Who's here?" 

Seeing Kristen's uniform, Spencer stumbled back in shock.  "No…  No one," he choked.  "It's okay.  I'm sorry.  I didn't mean any of it." 

"Where is Jessica Williams?"  Kristen demanded.  The lump on the bed squeaked.

"Shut up– Um, who's Jessica?"  Spencer shook.  "I have no idea–" Kristen marched past him and carefully uncovered the blankets.  A shivering brown haired girl peaked from underneath.

"Are you Miss Williams?"  Kristen asked kindly.  The girl nodded.  "Don't worry, everything's go–"

Suddenly, Spencer rushed up behind Kristen and grabbed her in a chokehold.

"If you don't say anything, I will let you go," Spencer hissed into Kristen's ear.  Kristen fought panic and relaxed her muscles, getting ready.  "That's it, girl.  I won't hurt you too bad."  Spencer loosed his grip slightly.

That's when Kristen struck.  She spun so fast, the fingers around her neck didn't matter.  Kristen punched Spencer hard in the nose.  The bones and cartilage crunched under Kristen's knuckles, so different from a game she almost flinched.  Keyword, almost.

 _If the target engages you, get rid of him,_ Mr. Stevenson had said.  As much as Kristen wanted to show Spencer she wasn't the useless fourth grader she used to be, orders were orders.  But her orders were also dead or alive.  That meant preferably dead.  Kristen figured her uniform was enough to tell Spencer how far she'd come.

Still reeling from the massively destroyed nose, Spencer spun in circles, cursing loudly.  With a smooth motion, Kristen pulled out her gun out of its holster and fired.

The spark of satisfaction lasted only a second.  Blood bloomed on Spencer's dirty white shirt, followed by a high pitched scream.  Not from Spencer.  Spencer fell, staring incredulously at Kristen, not sure of what he was seeing.  Jessica screamed again.  In the heat of the moment, Kristen had forgotten all about the thirteen-year-old girl.

Kristen turned from Spencer to the mess of a human being huddled in a mass of blankets.  She rushed next to the poor little girl, carefully untangling her from the blankets, finding that the girl only wore a loose-fitting gown.

"It's okay, Miss Williams," Kristen soothed.  "I'm from the police."  She gave the girl her _First Responder_ badge.  "I'll be taking you to a hospital, where you would be reunited with your family."  With the mention of family, the girl started crying.

"What's wrong, Jessica?  Everything's okay now," Kristen said, heaving the girl out of bed.  Jessica shook her head. 

"It's okay," Kristen promised.  "Tell me what's wrong." 

Shakily, Jessica pointed at Spencer's body.  "My mom.  He, my mom."  She stared sobbing hard.  "No…" she trailed off.

"Slow down, it's okay," Kristen said.  "We'll help you out anyway you need."  She took Jessica outside and placed the girl in the backseat of the car.  "I'm going to drive you to the hospital.  You can tell me what happened, slowly if you need to, and we'll contact your family."

Suddenly, Jessica's face became stone, and she stopped crying.  "Thank…  T-thank you," she stammered.  "He…  He killed my mom."

Kristen reached over and took the girl's hand.  "We avenged her, didn't we?  Come on, you look tired.  Why don't you rest a bit?"

Jessica nodded and curled in the back of the car.  Turning back to the road, Kristen smiled for the first time that night.  Finally, she got her long planned revenge, and she even saved an innocent girl while at it.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I write short chapters. I hope that's not a problem, though.


End file.
